Flight delays may be coming as FAA sees 'uptick' in callouts

Quick summary

A federal government shutdown is causing increased absenteeism among air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers, potentially leading to flight delays and longer security lines.
Smaller communities may lose air service if federal subsidies for Essential Air Service are not renewed, with Alaska particularly affected.
Travelers are advised to arrive at airports earlier than usual and avoid tight connections, as delays could worsen if staffing shortages persist or weather disruptions occur.
Despite challenges, aviation leaders emphasize that air travel remains safe, though the risk of delays is elevated.

What to consider

Essential federal employees are working without pay and lack support from furloughed staff, which may impact efficiency at airports.
The MyTSA app will not be updated during the shutdown, so travelers cannot rely on it for real-time checkpoint wait times.
Federal subsidies for certain small-community routes may expire soon, leaving airlines to decide whether to suspend those flights.

What you'll miss from the article

Detailed guidance on minimizing travel disruptions and what to do if your flight is delayed or canceled during a government shutdown.

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Flight delays could soon pick up — and service to some smaller American communities may be in jeopardy as the federal government shutdown stretches into a second week.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy confirmed Monday that control towers at airports across the country have seen a “slight tick up” in air traffic controllers staying home from work in recent days.

That included California's Hollywood-Burbank Airport (BUR), which on Monday reportedly went unmanned for hours due to staffing, with air traffic control handled by the Federal Aviation Administration's San Diego facility.

“There’s been one facility one day, another facility another day,” Duffy said, speaking during a news conference at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). “Some areas, there’s been a 50% reduction in some of the staffing. We’re tracking it. And we take the appropriate action necessary to make sure our skies are safe.”

U.S. government is shut down: Here are the travel impacts

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy speaks Monday at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). MICHAEL NAGLE/BLOOMBERG VIA GETTY IMAGES

Aviation industry leaders had feared a spike in FAA employees calling off work after the federal government entered a shutdown on Oct. 1, with no funding bill passed by Congress.

Air traffic controllers are among the thousands of essential federal workers expected to continue reporting to work during a shutdown, but without a paycheck. In early 2019, a weekslong shutdown led to scores of FAA workers calling off and resulted in mounting flight delays — travel woes that ultimately helped bring the stalemate in Washington to an end.

So far, Duffy said the air traffic control call-outs weren’t widespread. But if the problems worsen, he added, the FAA could slow the flow of planes — which would likely trigger flight delays, especially at the nation’s busiest airports.

Air traffic control staffing is already a major problem

Critical FAA facilities already face significant staffing challenges. Controllers regularly work six-day weeks and mandatory overtime.

Those staffing woes (and other factors) contributed to major travel disruptions this spring in Newark, and drew national attention in January after the first deadly crash involving a U.S. airline in over a decade.

The nation’s largest air traffic controllers union on Sunday encouraged its members to continue reporting to work during the shutdown, and denounced “any coordinated activity that disrupts the national airspace system,” alluding to unauthorized absences.

TSA officers working without pay

Also expected to work without pay: Transportation Security Administration officers.

TSA officers at Dallas Love Field (DAL) in Texas. SHELBY TAUBER/BLOOMBERG VIA GETTY IMAGES

At the time of publication, TPG had not yet heard reports of significant security checkpoint delays. However, we should warn: Security backups cropped up during the last shutdown, so it’s possible travelers could run into longer wait times at TSA checkpoints if the shutdown drags on.

Visiting several airport checkpoints late last week, overall TSA staffing levels appeared, in some cases, to be a little less than what I'd normally expect to see as an avid traveler who's at airports most weeks.

We should note: essential federal employees who are still reporting to work are currently without the assistance of the critical, furloughed support staff who help government services run more efficiently.

“TSA has not experienced any delay in operations due to callouts and remains fully capable of facilitating safe and secure travel for passengers," a spokesperson for the agency told TPG late Tuesday.

Routes to smaller communities in jeopardy

While some flyers could face travel delays, other airports are at risk of losing flights altogether in the coming days.

Federal subsidies for Essential Air Service run out on Sunday without Congressional intervention, Duffy said on Monday. That funding supports airline routes to underserved airports, often in smaller communities where a carrier might not otherwise see a business reason to fly.

Williamsport Regional Airport (IPT) in Pennsylvania. HEATHER AINSWORTH/WASHINGTON POST VIA GETTY IMAGES

Airlines would likely get the final say on whether a particular route would go on hiatus during a shutdown.

The state with the most subsidized routes: Alaska.

Late Monday, Alaska Airlines told TPG it would "continue operating reliable flights as scheduled" during the shutdown to the half-dozen Alaskan cities it serves with the help of federal reimbursement.

"This program is an essential economic lifeline for 169 airports who are often hit the hardest whenever there is disruption in the National Airspace System," the Regional Airline Association said in a statement to TPG Tuesday.

Smaller communities have struggled to maintain air service in recent years, between COVID-19 pandemic service cuts, a subsequent pilot shortage and airlines' shift, over time, to bigger jets.

What to know if you’re flying during the shutdown

Here’s what to know if you’re flying in the coming days.

Is air travel safe during a shutdown?

Yes, leaders emphasized Monday. “It is very, very safe,” said Frank McIntosh, chief operating officer of the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization.

However, the FAA warned that keeping the skies safe may require control towers to slow the flow of planes if ATC staffing levels drop. That’s when delays happen, as we’ve seen frequently in recent years at heavily congested Northeastern airports.

A thunderstorm or other weather disruption would likely make wider cascading delays far more likely.

Get to the airport early

To guard against potential backups at TSA checkpoints, I’d suggest getting to the airport earlier than you normally do. And don’t rely on the ordinarily handy MyTSA app to monitor checkpoint wait times. The app will not be updated during the lapse in federal funding, TSA warns.

Avoid tight connections

Easier said than done if you’ve already booked your trip, but the best way to keep shutdown-related flight trouble from turning into a major travel disruption is to fly nonstop — or at least avoid a tight connection.

Mass flight cancellations are a lot less likely than a 45-minute delay caused by a prolonged wait on the taxiway. And the latter is only a major problem if it causes you to miss your connecting flight.

Flight delayed or canceled? Here's what to do next

An American Airlines aircraft at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY

Watch for airline travel advisories

We have not yet seen major flight woes, to be clear.

If mass delays start popping up at certain airports, keep an eye out for any communication from your airline. Should travel strain grow, carriers may issue travel waivers allowing you to change or rebook your trip.

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